Study lists troubles at state parks

System called top-heavy, slow to seize on lucrative opportunities

SACRAMENTO  A new study has found that California’s state parks system is top-heavy and has been slow to seize on moneymaking opportunities that could help it recover from deep fiscal wounds, some of which were self-inflicted.

The independent review also unearthed erratic and antiquated accounting systems, over-reliance on a few parks to generate the most income, an inability to cash-in on concession contracts and a slothlike approach to attracting more users, especially to waterfront parks.

The findings by FTI Consulting highlight many of the challenges for the state Department of Parks and Recreation as it struggles to move beyond financial scandal and restore public trust.

The 180-page financial assessment also notes familiar problems that have long plagued parks: stagnant state revenues, a staggering list of unfunded repairs and renovations, and state bond accounts that are about to run dry.

Parks Director Anthony Jackson, a retired Marine major general from Fallbrook who was tapped by Gov. Jerry Brown to turn the troubled department around 13 months ago, said there is little in the report to disagree with.

The department has launched a number of new initiatives, such as pushing to add more camping at popular parks to generate income, working with major retailers to sell park passes, concentrating improvements at popular waterfront parks, modernizing fee collections, adopting a priority list for maintenance and building projects, and imposing more internal accounting controls, Jackson said.

“We are moving forward,” Jackson said. “We are trying to catch up and be a 21st Century organization.”

The department has been under scrutiny for nearly two years following revelations that former top administrators hid $20 million even as plans were being made to padlock dozens of parks, including some in San Diego County. It has also been revealed that parks officials had wrongly accounted for $33.5 million in off-highway vehicle money, drawing loud protests from those users. Some parks officials were also improperly reimbursed for vacation time. In the wake of the scandal, then Director Ruth Coleman resigned and some top deputies were forced out.

Former state Sen. Christine Kehoe of San Diego, who co-chairs the Parks Forward Commission developing future plans for parks, said the report provides a fundamental understanding of “where the gaps are.

“We know there is need for major reform, from the big picture right down to the day-to-day details,” she said.

But there are some who urge caution, warning that a scramble for cash could push aside other priorities, such as protecting cultural and environmental resources and making sure that users get the most out of their visit.

“Parks are not a franchise. Parks are not a Starbucks. Parks are not a Taco Bell,” said John Mott of Sacramento, a retired ranger who once patrolled in San Diego parks and whose father served as parks director when Ronald Reagan was governor. “In the push to become more-self-sufficient, will we maintain our core values?”

There are 280 state parks, from the beaches of San Diego to the redwoods of Mendocino. They draw about 75 million annually to trails, shores and museums. San Diego County is home to some of the most visited, including Torry-Pines and Anza-Borrego, as well as several state beaches with popular campgrounds.